


The Tide Waves Goodbye

by Stormlight8



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Gen, Koala's life after she arrived home, how did she join the RA?, my take on that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24923359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormlight8/pseuds/Stormlight8
Summary: Taken out of slavery, Koala finds herself stuck in a world she no longer recognizes.  All those she had loved treated her like glass and spoke behind her back.  Despite being free from her chains, she knows she is not truly free.  So she does the only thing she can do, and seeks out the only people that can help her give the world the freedom it needs.
Relationships: Eventual Sabo/Koala (One Piece), Hack & Koala & Sabo (One Piece), Hack & Koala (One Piece), Koala & Fisher Tiger, Koala & Monkey D. Dragon, Koala & Revolutionary Army (one Piece)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

Koala stared at the building. It was painted a light orange color and was outlined with white trim. A tidy little garden was kept in the front yard, gentle flowers poking out from the greenery. A sweet smell drifted from an open window, checkered curtains hanging in front of them.

The sounds she had heard earlier were gone. 

Her mother put a hand on her shoulder and Koala smiled up at her hesitantly. The other townspeople crowded around, smiling and talking and laughing. Koala took hold of her mother's hand and squeezed it. Her mother patted her hand and said something to the crowd of people. Then she led Koala into the house.

Just as it was on the outside, the inside was quaint and tidy. A cute kitchen and dining area, and a set of stairs leading upwards. Some sort of pie rested cooling on the kitchen counter; her stomach turned. 

Back when...when she had been....released, she wasn't able to eat foods that had too much taste. The spicy seasonings, the sickly sweet sugar - she wasn't able to hold it. It had taken her a few weeks to overcome her malnourishment. Koala hadn't had any issues thereafter with eating. At least, not until then. 

Her mother must've noticed Koala's unease and knelt down by Koala, smoothing her hair back. "Come now, dear. How about a bath? You've had such a long journey, and you must be tired. Yes, a bath and then to bed. Come now."

Koala followed her mother, not knowing what else to do. They went up the stairs and Koala couldn't help but notice the pictures on the wall. Many depicted a little girl - in the gardens, at the beach, with other children - that had a bright smile on her face.

Her mother looked back at Koala, and smiled softly. "We really missed you, darling. I'm glad you're back home."

Koala blinked at the pictures, realization dawning on her. That smiling and happy girl - was her?

She continued up the stairs and when her mother beckoned her, she entered a small room. As the rest of the house, it was clean and polished. Cute, perhaps. A bathtub was on one side of the room, and on the other was a toilet and a sink. An embroidered towel hung on a rung next to the bath, and a closet was in the back of the room.

 _Oh_ , she thought. _A bathroom._

Her mother turned a knob and water gushed out into the bath. Then her mother turned towards Koala. "Let's get you out of those clothes now, alright?"

Koala nodded, and her mother undid the buttons. Her yellow dress slid to the ground. Uncle Tiger had helped her pick it out on one of the many stops the Fishmen made, though Hatchi was usually the one who took care of her - he had been the one to cut her hair, and even helped her pick out a whole bunch of clothes to wear. She smiled at the thought.

Her mother nudged her aside, and as Koala was climbing into the bathtub she heard her mother gasp. Koala froze, unsure - did she do something wrong? Was she going to be punished? How? No food for a week, whipping, cages and manacles - 

"What did those horrid beasts do to you?" her mother whispered, horrified.

At that, Koala looked back. Her mother was staring at her bare back. At the Mark of the Sun. Koala frowned slightly, confused. 'Beasts' her mother had said. She had meant the slavers, hadn't she? Certainly not Uncle Tiger....not the Fishmen who had saved her....

"Mom...."

Her mother's eyes met her, and the woman's face softened. "Nevermind, dear. You're safe now. Yes, that's right, into the bath."

Koala sat in the warm water as her mother washed her hair. It was gentle, and wonderful. Back at the village she had been in before Uncle Tiger came to take her home, the villagers there tried their best to take care of her, but they didn't have many resources to spare and still had to keep her hidden from the World Government. She hadn't been able to go outside often, or even talk to people.

But now she was with her mother, and _safe_.

Rinsing her hair out, her mother bundled her up in a pink towel. "Stay right here, okay? I'm going to go find you some pajamas."

Koala shook her head, smiling. "No, it's okay! Hatchi got me lots of clothes. You don't need to get me anything."

Her mother stood there for a moment, then nodded. "If that's what you want, dear."

Koala dried off them produced the pajamas from her backpack. They were nice and silky - pajama pants and a pajama long sleeved shirt to keep her warm. They were green, which Hatchi said matched nicely with her hair.

Her mother took her hand once more and led her to a room down the hall. The room was beautifully decorated, a large bed with blue covering was centered in the middle. Dressers were placed on both sides of her bed, with little lamps lighting up the room. 

Koala climbed onto the bed, snuggling under the covers. Her mom sat on the side of the bed and smoothed back her hair. Koala just looked at her mother. Really looked at her. The worried creases in her forehead, long brown hair, and tired eyes.

"Do you think I'll see them again?" Koala found herself asking her mother.

"See who again?"

"Hatchi, and Aladdin, and Jinbei, and Uncle Tiger...." Koala listed off their names and smiled. 

Her mother was silent, and Koala looked at her expectantly. "I don't know, dear," she finally sighed. "This island doesn't get many visitors."

Her mother waited a moment, then stood from her bed. She kissed Koala's forehead. "I'm just so glad you're home, sweetie."

Koala blinked up at her mother as she went to the door. "They're good Fishmen, mom."

From the doorway, her mother looked back at her.

"They took care of me, and they're nice and kind and funny..." Koala continued and met her mom's eyes. "You don't have to be scared. They kept their promise."

"I'm sure they are, Koala." Her mother closed the door, leaving Koala alone.

She curled up in bed, clutching the bed covers. Koala squeezed her eyes shut. She ought to be happy - she was back home, with her mother. She was where she belonged.

But the fact remained that when she looked at her mother, it was as if she saw a stranger. This town was not her town, the people not her people. She didn't know them. They didn't know her. 

Yet she still tried to go to sleep, thinking of the family she had left behind.


	2. Chapter 2

Koala picked at her chocolate chip pancakes that were nearly drowning in syrup. It had been nearly a week since Uncle Tiger had dropped her off.

It would be a lie to say that she didn't miss the Sun Pirates.

The week had been incredibly busy. Her mother had just about the whole island come see Koala, in small waves. She barely had any time to breathe, let alone do anything else. Luckily, the crowds of people had thinned out, and Koala figured they were done coming to see her. Asking her mother as much, the woman shook her head.

"Sorry, darling. One more person is coming over today. I know you're tired, and it's all strange and new, but it's a great opportunity to introduce you to the town." her mother said as she washed the griddle.

Koala took a sip of the water - the pancakes were too sweet for her. "Who is coming over today?"

Her mother dried her hands off then took a seat across from Koala and began neatly cutting up her pancakes. "The teacher from the schoolhouse. Since you've been...gone, it's important that we figure out how much you've retained and catch you up to the rest of the students your age."

Koala frowned. The most she really remembered of school was learning her letters. "Oh."

Her mother ruffled her hair. "Cheer up, dear. It'll be quick and easy."

At Koala's further look of disinterest, her mother sighed. "We'll go to the beach afterwards, alright?"

She perked up. Every day, after the crowds of people left her alone, she liked to go back to the beach, imagining the Sun Pirate's ship on the horizon. Fantasy, perhaps, but it calmed her down a great deal. "Really?"

Her mother smiled. "Yes."

Koala nodded decisively. "I'll do my best!"

Her mother cleared both their plates. "I know you will, sweetheart."

An hour later, the teacher stopped by. Like the rest of the town, the woman was polite and smiled a lot. Her mother and the woman chatted a bit while Koala stood at her mother's side. Then the teacher's attention was focused on Koala herself. They sat in the dining room. The teacher laid out lots of papers on the table, and they began.

The teacher asked her to write out the alphabet. Koala did as she asked and gave the teacher the paper when she was finished. The teacher looked it over and nodded. "Alright." Koala didn't know what the teacher meant by that, though she knew her letters were probably far from good. A burst of shame reddened her cheeks.

Next she had to read a set of passages to the teacher. She kept stumbling over words, all too aware of the teacher's eyes on her. Koala couldn't help but think it would be less awkward if it were Jinbei listening to her read.

They tried after that a little bit of addition, and while Koala knew the basics of counting, she was far from where she should've been. 

"She is far behind the other students in her age range," the teacher told her mother sympathetically. "She will have to attend class with the younger students, if she wishes to improve her skills further. We can also do after school sessions to catch her up."

Her mother nodded. "Yes, I understand. When may we start?"

"Oh, you can bring her to class at the start of the next week," the teacher answered. "Thank you on having me over; it's good seeing your daughter back where she belongs."

The teacher packed up her items, and Koala couldn't help but feel relief at the teacher leaving. The woman said goodbye, and finally walked out the door. 

As soon as the door closed, Koala turned towards her mother. "Can we go to the beach now?"

Her mother nodded distractedly after a moment's hesitation. "Yes, of course."

Together, they exited the house, and while her mother led the way to the beach, Koala knew the way without help. In only a short couple of minutes, Koala could see the horizon.

Running forwards, her feet kicked up sand, but she didn't care as her feet touched the cool water that was slowly retreating back into the ocean. Koala grinned and the weight she had felt she'd been carrying lifted.

The ocean meant comfort. It was adventure, and freedom, and family. It was everything she had ever wanted.

She giggled as another wave washed over her feet, sand-fleas burrowing deeper into the sand, tickling her feet. 

Her mother watched from the sandy hills. "Make sure not to go too far!" she called out. "You don't want to get your clothes wet!"

"Okay, mom!" Koala answered, taking a moment to simply stare at the horizon. She wished Uncle Tiger would call, or visit. She missed him, and the rest of the Sun Pirates.

But they were pirates, and had more adventures to go on. They couldn't be held back by a single little girl.

With that thought, Koala turned away from the enchanting horizon. She made sandcastles, collected pretty shells and sea glass, and caught and released the sand-fleas until her mother finally called for her to leave - they had to eat lunch, and then go on a bunch of errands. Apparently her mother wanted Koala to have more clothes, though she protested that the clothes the Sun Pirates had packed was enough.

When they finally arrived back at the house, Koala was exhausted. So much time outdoors, so many people sneaking glances at her....she was glad to be back behind closed doors.

She ate a quick dinner - vegetable soup - and hurried upstairs to her room to get ready for bed. Frowning, she realized that her backpack from Hatchi was not where she had left it. She looked everywhere - under her bed, in her closet, anywhere a backpack might be. But she couldn't find it.

Trekking back down the stairs, she watched her mother put away the dishes. "Mom?"

Her mother put the dishtowel back on the rack and turned towards her. "Yes, dear?"

"Do you know where my backpack is?"

Her mother froze for a moment. "I'm sorry dear, I have no idea where your backpack is. Is it lost?"

Unbidden tears came to her eyes. The backpack was from Hatchi, and she had gone and lost it. "Yes."

"Oh," her mother came over to her and wrapped Koala in a hug. "Oh baby, it's okay, it's alright. Hush, don't cry."

Her mother kept murmuring reassurances to her, but Koala still felt rotten. 

"Do you think Hatchi would be mad at me for losing it?"

Her mother sat back and smoothed back some of Koala's hair. "No, of course not. Now come on, let's get you to bed. Lucky that we went shopping today...."

Koala followed her mother upstairs and got dressed in the wool pajamas that weren't the silky ones Hatchi got for her. She looked at her wardrobe, filled with new clothes, missing the nice yellow dress Uncle Tiger himself picked out.

She buried herself underneath her covers, hoping to dream of the Sun Pirates, since she had lost the one thing - besides their mark on her back - that was a memento to her of them.

"Goodnight, Uncle Tiger."


	3. Chapter 3

Something was wrong.

It was the sneaked, worried stares that tipped her off. The way her mother had hushed conversations with the neighbors, and the way she kept the papers out of Koala's reach. She knew something was wrong when the young children in the class talked about fishmen with ugly sneers.

Koala wanted to believe everything was fine - she was back home with her mother, back on her home island. She'd ignored her gut feeling and tried to pretend that everything was as it should be.

But her backpack - her mementos from Hatchi, and Jinbei, and Uncle Tiger.....gone, just like that.

After the first week had passed, she joined the class with the younger children. She'd smiled - a real smile, to make a good impression - and introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Koala!"

They looked up at her, their expressions ranging wildly from excitement to confusion and then to disgust. 

"You're an older kid, why are you here?"

"I'm here to learn," she said.

"Why don't you learn with the older kids then?"

"Because what I need to learn can only be taught here," Koala said. Excuses - lies - came naturally to her, to hide. Whatever she had to do to avoid being noticed, from being punished, she did.

The younger children quickly warmed to her, but the kids her own age were another story. Her mother encouraged her to interact with them, but every time she tried the kids ignored her, or treated her like she was stupid.

"You're in class with the little kids, so you might as well _be_ a little kid," one of them said. "We don't hang out with little kids."

She didn't like those kids, and she tried to ignore the way her heart pounded whenever she neared them. They reminded her too much of _them_.

Plus, they talked bad about fishmen. Koala wanted to do something about it, but what could she do? She couldn't stop them, Koala was too weak.

Even among the adults she felt as if she were being studied and judged - Koala always felt cold around them. Oddly, that smile from those times made an appearance then, not her real smile that Uncle Tiger had shown her to use.

The only place she felt at peace was on the beach, alone, watching the horizon. Koala liked to imagine the world out there - someday, she wanted to explore it. The pure expanse of it took her breath away, all of the possibilities at her fingertips....

She'd never allowed herself to have such a longing before.

Usually, it was just her on the beach, alone. But behind her, she heard the sound of laughter. Koala turned around from her seat on the sand, and saw three of the students her age. She frowned. Those kids never came to the beach, and if they did they went to the peaceful cove, not the open expanse she frequented. 

"Oh!" one of them called out. "It's Ko-a-la." She sing-songed her name, and Koala cringed.

"Why are you out here all alone, huh?" another asked. "Too good for us?"

Koala shook her head. "No, of course not -"

" _I_ know," the ringleader interjected, smirking. He was holding something in his hand. "She thinks that those fishmen will come back for her - I bet she secretly wants to be one of them. Too bad they won't come back for you."

She frowned. Koala hated that mocking tone, and hated that it was directed at the fishmen. "What do you mean?"

The three shared a glance. "You don't know?" one of them asked.

"Aw, so sad, she doesn't even _know._ "

Koala got to her feet, not caring about the sand sticking to her legs. "Know what?"

"I guess I could let you in on it," the boy said, shaking the paper right in front of her. "It's be too cruel not to. Here," he offered the paper to her. "Read it."

Koala took the paper hesitantly, ignoring the comments wondering if she could even read it or not. The front page sported Uncle Tiger's Wanted Poster, and she smiled. It was always nice to see Uncle Tiger, since her mother didn't let her read the news. It was just a bunch of "adult things" that Koala wouldn't understand.

But why was Uncle Tiger in the papers? Koala hoped that he was alright.

Narrowing her focus to the headline, she tried her best to decipher it. 'Fisher.....Tiger......(Uncle Tiger!).....Caught.....and Ki-'

She stopped reading the headline, staring at Uncle Tiger's picture. "No," she said, beginning to shake her head. "No, he can't-"

The boy laughed. "Your 'Uncle Tiger' is dead! Serves him right, that rotten fishman. Dad always said that he got what was coming to him. How disgusting. I bet he was slimy and stank, and don't get me started on those creepy gills of his -"

Koala didn't know how it happened, but it did. One moment the boy was laughing - at her, and at Uncle Tiger _who was dead_ \- and the next he was on the ground clutching the side of his face.

The girls screamed, and the boy looked up at her aghast. "You, you -" he spluttered. "You hit me!"

Koala realized she was shaking, and she looked at her fist. It was red, and clenched. She looked back at the boy on the ground. Then at the newspaper. "Don't talk about Uncle Tiger like that," she said, voice calm, though she felt as if she were shattering into a billion pieces, all over again.

"Freak!" one of the girls called her.

"Yeah, you're a freak!"

But she didn't listen to them. Instead, Koala turned her back on them and simply walked away. She walked all the way back to her village, eyes only on the ground in front of her. She wasn't sure if she could handle those looks at the moment.

Koala entered the house quietly - her mother was laying on the couch, a book next to her as she slept. She tip-toed up the stairs and into the false safety of her room. As she settled into her bed, Koala flipped open the newspaper again. She had to know - how, why, did Uncle Tiger die?

It took her a very painful hour to finally read the article. And now that she had....now that she had.....tears slipped down her face, creating splotches on the paper. She may have lost Hatchi's backpack, but Uncle Tiger lost his life - and it was all. Her. Fault.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, blanket pulled over her head like a shield to the world. "I'm so sorry."

She cried until her tears ran out, and after that she was too exhausted to move. At one point, she thought her mother had come to check on her, but Koala didn't greet her, not when her mother had known the whole time.

Finally, she kicked off her blankets and rubbed her eyes, looking around the room. At the cute curtains, comfortable bed, and new clothes....it was all wrong. Uncle Tiger brought her to the island, and he died for it, and she had been living joyfully without knowing the truth.

Koala squeezed her eyes shut, resisting the urge to cry again. She couldn't stay, not when everyone had lied. Not when they were the reason Uncle Tiger was dead. 

Carefully, she folded up the newspaper into the new backpack her mother had gotten for her and stuffed an assortment of clothing into it - they were in the Grand Line, after all, and if she was going to leave, she needed to be ready.

"Dinner!" her mother called out from below, and Koala stiffened.

Would she get in trouble? Did the boy tell his parents that she hit him? And did his parents tell her mother? Would she be punished for it? Would -

Uncle Tiger had suffered worse. She could endure - she had to. His sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.

Koala smoothed out her emotions, and walked down the stairs. Her mother had set out dinner already - a sort of casserole - and she sat down.

Her mother smiled at her, a hint of worry (suspicion?) in her eyes. "Are you alright, dear? You seemed rather upset earlier."

She shrugged, shoving a bite into her mouth. Swallowing, she gave her mother that dreaded smile. "I'm okay! I just scrapped my knuckles, that's all." She showed her mother her hand that she hit the boy with.

"Oh, I see," her mother nodded, easing. "We'll take care of that after dinner, alright?"

"Okay!"

Koala quickly finished dinner and hurried back upstairs and into bed. When her mother came to put her to bed, Koala let her kiss her goodnight, and tuck her in. But Koala really just was biding her time.

To make sure that her mother was really in bed, Koala waited for a couple hours, wide awake in bed. When she finally deemed it safe, Koala grabbed her backpack filled with clothes and sneaked down the stairs. 

The lights were off, enveloping the house in shadow, but she didn't let that stop her. Opening the pantry door, Koala stuffed her back with crackers and apples. She wasn't sure which types of food was good for traveling, but she was certain that her choices were good.

Quietly leaving her house, Koala didn't dare look back - she didn't dare let her self-doubt force her to turn back. Not for something so important.

She made her way to the harbor, where a few boats were docked. Many merchants stopped by their island to stock up on supplies and to sell their goods. They would be perfect to stow away on.

Noticing the look-out for the specific boat she was on, Koala stuck to the shadows and hurried onto the boat. It probably helped that the look-out had drunk half a bottle of wine that he didn't notice her. 

Koala scrambled down and into the ship, finding her way into the cargo hold. Wedging herself in between two barrels of what smelled like fish, she let out a shaky breath. She did it. She had made it on.

She was really going to leave the island.

Strangely, she did not feel that much remorse. She did not truly know those people - in all honesty, she had spent more of her life off the island than on it. Koala would always love her mother for who she'd been to her before Koala had been taken, and who she was supposed to be, but Koala wasn't certain if she could forgive her mother enough to stay.

Uncle Tiger had kept his promise - her mother had not.

While she stayed between the two barrels, she must've fallen asleep, because when she had opened her eyes, light shined through the windows and the boat was rocking. Cautiously standing up, she peeked through the glass.

There was no land in sight, and she smiled a true smile.

Her mother hadn't kept her word, but Koala would. She would never forget Uncle Tiger, and would make sure the world wouldn't either.


	4. Chapter 4

She walked through the streets with hunched shoulders, weaving between the people through opening in the crowd. She'd been ashore for a few weeks, and there were four things she knew for certain:

One: She was tired. Since she had arrived, it hadn't been like home had been, or the Sun pirates' boat - there was no carefully prepared bed for her to sleep in, no comfort to go to after a long day. Koala instead slept on the roofs of buildings she could climb up to, underneath hangers, in empty alley in barrels. And it only got worse when it rained. 

Two: She was dirty and cold. Koala thought she had come prepared, with her bag of stuffed clothing. But they became soiled and dirty, and they didn't do near enough to keep her warm on freezing nights. Not to mention that she had no way of cleaning herself, stopping short of jumping into the ocean.

Three: She was hungry. People didn't give things out to free, and Koala didn't have any money to buy food. The food she had brought from her island had disappeared rapidly, leaving her to resort to snatching items off food stalls and hoping Koala wouldn't get caught.

Four: She was free. Despite everything, despite being tired and cold and hungry, she was free. The harbor was full of boats - she could pick one and leave, if she so desired. She could run around on the streets, and she wouldn't get whipped for it. 

Of course, she knew more than anyone that she was not safe. No one would miss a single homeless child. No one would know if she went missing. If any one of the people milling the streets decided they wanted to make some extra coin, Koala was an easy target.

She wouldn't go back. She couldn't go back, no, no, _no_ -

Koala took a deep, rattling breath, sticking to the side of the road. _Stop thinking about that_ , she thought even as she wiped away water from her eyes. 

Navigating the roads, she focused her attention on one of the busiest stalls. No one would notice if an apple or two went missing.

Weaving in and out through the crowd of people, she stealthily snatched an apple off the table and hurried away, no one any wiser. Darting into an alley, she crouched down holding the apple.

Her stomach growled, and she took a large bite of the apple, juice dripping down her chin. Koala didn't care. The apple tasted delicious, and she was eating, and -

"Hey, kid!" someone yelled at the mouth of the alley. "I know you're in here! Pesky little thief, you're going to pay for what you stole!"

Her eyes widened and she scrambled to her feet, already moving in the other direction. She couldn't be caught, because if she was caught, she'd get punished, and punishment.....

Either she'd get her hand chopped off, or she'd get sent back to _them_.

Koala's feet slapped the cobbled stone as she ran, using every trick she knew to lose her pursuer. His voice became fainter and fainter, and soon she was on an empty street. There were a few vendors, but they seemed to be packing up for the day.

She leaned against the wall, desperately gasping for air. Perhaps she had ran faster, and farther, then necessary. Her knee stung - she had fallen at some point and skinned her knee. Koala couldn't pinpoint when she had fallen, the whole dash was a blur.

And she had lost the apple.

Her stomach growled again, louder than the first time.

"Found you!" an old woman exclaimed, hands on her hips. "I've been trying to find you for some time now, after you've been stealing from me."

Koala froze. The woman directly in front of her, she had no means of escape. She could only stare at the woman, throat suddenly dry.

The woman sighed aggravatingly and grabbed Koala's arm and began walking. "Come along, then. Cocky little thief...."

She stumbled along after the woman, heart hammering in her chest. Weakly, she resisted the lady, but the woman didn't relent. Opening a door to one of the buildings, the woman dragged her inside.

Releasing Koala, she fell backwards and stared up at the woman. "What," she began shakily, voice too loud to her ears. "What are you going to do to me?"

The woman had moved into a room with a bar connecting it to the one Koala was in. From behind the bar, the woman arched an eyebrow. "I'm going to explain some things to you. Now sit down, kid. Looking at you down there makes my back hurt."

Koala stayed on the floor a moment longer, staring at the woman, who didn't acknowledge Koala any further as she worked. Hesitantly, she climbed up onto the barstool. Instantly, she was hit by an insanely delicious smell, and she stared at the woman - or, what she was making.

The most delicious smelling chicken she had ever been in the vicinity of was being primed by the woman.

Noticing Koala staring at it, the woman took part of the chicken, put it on a plate and pushed it towards her. "Hungry girls need food to grow. Eat up, kid."

Koala looked back at the woman.

"Go on. We can talk business after you fill up."

She needed no more convincing and dug in. She hadn't had freshly cooked meat since she was with her mother. The portion of chicken, along with the scraps, were gone in what felt like seconds. Somewhere in between eating, the woman had passed her a glass of water.

Koala awkwardly pushed the plate away and stared at the woman who had also pulled up a chair and had begun reading after the dishes were cleaned. The woman had fed her, so she couldn't be bad, but what did she want with Koala?

The woman looked at her over her book. "You're done?" The woman shut her book and set it off to the side. "Good. Now can we talk -"

"Are you going to turn me in?" Koala blurted out. She couldn't stand not knowing - she _had_ to know.

The woman scoffed. "Why would I give my food to someone I would turn in? That's a waste of my energy. For the past month you've been stealing my goods. I imagine you've been stealing from everyone else's goods too, but they don't matter right now. What I want is all of that paid back to me in full."

"....I don't have money," she mumbled.

"I know you don't have money, you foolish girl," the woman snapped. "I want you to work for me, at my stall."

Koala stared at her - out of everything she had expected to hear....that was not one of them. "But why?"

"Don't question me," the woman said. "Any street urchin would do, but I'm old, and I need some help now and then." The woman eyed Koala. "Now, mind you, that doesn't allow for any jokes about me being old, got it?"

Koala nodded slowly. "...Okay," she said quietly. She didn't know the woman, but it sure beat hiding out in alleys, snatching food whenever she got the chance. "I'll do it."

The old woman led Koala into a small room. It wasn't as big as the room back at her mother's house, but it had a real bed, and even bedside dressers, even a closet. With a bathroom down the hall, and after taking her pack of clothes ("They stink like a pigsty - I'll wash these and hopefully get the smell out") left Koala to herself with no other words.

Despite the lack of sweet words, and the frills, Koala felt that it could be it. It wasn't home - not yet. 

But it could be.


	5. Chapter 5

Only a year later, she ran through the city confidently. The old woman - her name was Jeanne - had taken Koala in, and gave her a place to sleep and food to eat. Koala still wasn't sure why she had taken Koala in, but she was still thankful. Who knew what state Koala would be in if the woman hadn't taken her off the streets?

"Produce!" Koala yelled to be heard over the chatter in the marketplace. "Get your fresh produce Jazzy Jeanne's Fruits and Juices!"

Jeanne was not a soft woman, nor was she soft spoken. She was loud and spoke her mind, which startled Koala when she had first met the woman - she was nothing like her mother. In fact, she was a lot like the Sun Pirates in that regard.

"Get your produce!" Koala continued. "Select items ten percent off!"

A couple weeks after Jeanne had taken her in, Jeanne put Koala to work. Her job was to advertise in the streets to get business. But that wasn't all - sometimes, when Jeanne didn't feel up to it, Koala even managed the stall - with Jeanne's guidance, of course. Jeanne even paid Koala - the first time the woman had given Koala beri's, Koala had been confused. Jeanne explained that since Koala was doing work for her, Jeanne would also pay her.

It was a foreign concept to Koala, but she was thankful for it nonetheless.

"Strawberries, pineapple, pears!" she shouted. "Available now!"

Though, while Koala preferred honesty, not all aspects of Jeanne's business were honest. Koala was to embellish Jeanne's goods to visitors, and thus was taught to recognize visitors. Jeanne also had her, from time to time, plant evidence against the health codes in competitors stalls to get them shut down.

"I'm an old woman," Jeanne said as an explanation. "We've got to do more to keep up with those youngsters, especially if I want to retire any time in this decade." 

Overall, Koala didn't mind it. Most of the competitors that she went to sabotage already had health code violations, so it was only a matter of snooping. Besides that, Jeanne, through teaching her how to manage the stall, also taught her to read, write, and count. Jeanne said it was "just what you need to know", but Koala knew better. She didn't really need to know how to read or even write that well. Only counting directly correlated with the stall if only to count money.

Living with Jeanne was better than she could ever imagine, even if she still woke up at the smallest sound, even if she found herself cleaning a spot that had been cleaned a thousand times. Even with those quirks, she could be seen as normal, excluding the brand on her back.

Koala continued shouting out advertisements for Jeanne's stall until around midday - another thing that made her ridiculously happy is that she had the freedom to do what she wanted, and when. If she wanted to eat, then eat she would. And there were many options to chose from - there was a ramen stand close by, and they sold grilled fish out by the docks, and -

She stopped and stared at the chimaki stall - Koala smiled. She tried to eat from different stands to eat different kinds of foods, but she always went back to her favorite outdoors restaurant that made her favorite food - chimaki. 

Starting to make her way forward, raised and heated voices caught her attention nearby. Curious, she squeezed her way past onlookers, attempting - and failing - to see what was going on.

"-we do not sell to those such as yourself!" an angry voice cried out. "Leave my stall, or I am calling the marines, you monster!"

Koala frowned, on her tip-toes trying to see. A monster, the man had said. But why? Surely, no one warranted to be called a monster? 

"I only wanted to purchase some of the food you have here," the second person insisted. "I have the money - just let me pay for the items and I will leave you humans -"

  
"Enough!" the stall owner roared. "We do not sell to your kind, so get out of my sight!"

Giving up on trying to see, Koala pushed her way forward again. However, she used more force than necessary and stumbled out of the crowd. Able to see the situation clearly, she could see the two clearly. The stall owner was an average looking man, somewhat pot-bellied. Human. The person he was screaming at had blue skin, webbed fingers, and gills on the side of his neck. A fishman.

Without thinking, she spoke. "I'll pay for it."

The stall owner turned to look at her. "Excuse me?"

She almost froze - almost - at all the eyes on her. Koala steadied her breathing. No one would whip her. No one would starve her. She was fine, and would remain fine.

"You said that you don't sell to fishmen, right?" Koala said, frowning at the stall owner - she knew him from the multiple times she had run along the street, and thought he was a decent person. But fishmen were rarely seen on the island, and disappointingly he was just like her mother and the rest of the people on her birthplace. "Then I'll buy what he needs, so you'll just be selling to me."

All eyes were on her - the people in the crowd, the fishman, the stall owner. All eyes were on her, _so why was she stepping out of line, why -_

"Koala, it's a fishman, they're monsters," the stall owner spat. "They're no good, disgusting trash -"

"Will you sell to me, or not?" Koala interrupted, clenching her hands - maybe that would hide the terror she felt, the shaking. 

"I -"

"Enough," the fishman said, eyes glinting. "I do not need or want the pity of a human."

The fishman turned on his heel, and the crowd of people parted silently as he passed. Koala watched as he left, not feeling angry, but....lost. _How am I supposed to help_ , she thought. _If the world is as broken as I am?_

The minute the fishman left, the crowd erupted into cries of outrage and jeers at the absent fishman.

"How dare he!" the stall owner bellowed. "Rejecting the girl's offer, the arrogance!"

Koala stumbled backwards, stunned by the sudden rage the people possessed. So she did the only thing she thought to do, as a twelve year old girl - she ran. She ran and ran and ran, and did not stop running until she burst through the door at Jeanne's house.

"Koala?" Jeanne called from the kitchen - the old woman usually took a an hour off for lunch, spending it in the comfort of her home. Koala entered the room, and the old woman studied her. "Sit down, then."

So, Koala sat. A warm cup of tea was pushed her way, and she put her hands around it.

"Well?" Jeanne asked. "Something's got you spooked, girl, so out with it."

Koala exhaled, slowly picking up the cup - she was still shaking, but that crowd of people, and their rage, and how it appeared out of nowhere - 

It was too much like there. The place she tried to blot from her memory, but pieces leaked back in, how those people in white would lash out, no warning, because of _nothing_ \- 

"Does it have to do with that fishman?"

Koala's head jerked, eyes wide. "You...know?"

Jeanne snorted. "Hard not to. Let me tell you, kid - the elderly are gossips."

She took a sip of the tea - it was hot, and it was exactly what she needed. "Why are people...so angry?"

Jeanne shrugged and cleaned her hands with a washcloth. "People are scared. And they don't want others to know. So, they project that fear onto others. This world isn't right, that's for sure."

Koala mulled over that. "Is it possible to make people not afraid?"

"It'd take a hell of a lot of work to get a feat like that done." Jeanne scoffed.

"But," Koala insisted. "Is it possible?"

Jeanne sighed, studying Koala. Finally, the woman answered her. "The world can be what you make it."

She nodded firmly. Koala wasn't sure how, but she would do it - the fear and anger rooted in people's hearts, that drove them relentlessly to treat others harshly - she would do it. She had made a promise to Uncle Tiger, and though her mighty goal wasn't quite the same - it felt _right._


	6. Chapter 6

The day was just like any other. At the age of fourteen, she watched the stall for Jeanne, who mostly left the stall in her care. Jeanne was semi-retired, and preferred to stay home to "soothe her old bones". Koala was alright with that arrangement - it meant that Koala could be outside, and interact with people.

Funny how, when she saw the worst in people, she still craved to see the best.

Koala counted out change for a customer, and thanked them, smiling as they left. Koala looked towards the sky - it was dimming, brilliant pinks and oranges spreading across the sky. She cast a look around. Most people had turned in for the night, so only a few people were lingering on the streets. It was time to close up shop - Jeanne would have dinner ready soon, and would berate her if Koala let it go cold.

Sighing, she began to pack up the produce, most of it being packed into a couple boxes. They usually stored the produce not sold in a room in Jeanne's house, which was not far from where she set up the stall.

Heaving the filled boxes onto a small wheelbarrow, Koala began pulling it down the street, everything seeming still and peaceful - frozen in time. Sunrise and sunset often had that effect on her, but she didn't mind. It was her favorite times of day, in fact - so she always made sure to rise with the sun, as well as watch it fall.

But her piece of calm didn't last long - a surge of shouting rose. Koala slowed to a stop, handing tightening on the wheelbarrow's handles. A spike of fear surged through her. What -

A lone figure ran from behind the corner, the angry and violent sounds following close after. She watched as the figure neared, unable to move, just watch. She could see him clearly. He had yellow skin - not sickly yellow, but yellow like a sunflower. She could see he had long, white hair as well as what she assumed was a dorsal fin on his head, despite his cloak to hide his features.

A fishman.

She noticed that his eyes flitted towards her for just a moment, but kept running, eyes narrowed in determination, cloak billowing out behind him.

Her mouth was dry. She didn't know why those people were chasing him, or what was happening, but....

"Wait!" she called out, her voice too loud in the street, the screaming and yelling fading in the background.

And, the fishman stopped. Why? Why had he stopped? For her? For young Koala...? 

Gritting her teeth, she pushed the wheelbarrow until it tipped sideways, all the packaged produce spilling out of their boxes and onto the streets. Keeping it upright on its side, she gestured to the fishman. "Come on, you can hide under here!"

The fishman hesitated, eyes darting from the light approaching the corner. The sunset had already diminished, and it was a cloudy night - the moon was not invisible.

"Please," she pleaded. She didn't want him hurt, or anyone hurt - if she could save him, then maybe that would help. Help what? Her guilt over Fisher Tiger, the injustice of the world? She wasn't sure, she just knew that she had to. "You can't keep running, but I can cover for you." 

That one second lasted a lifetime, and like the sunset, it felt like a frozen moment in time. The mob was frozen, out of sight. The fishman was frozen, staring at her, expression unreadable. Koala was frozen, her heart the only thing moving, _pounding_.

Then the fishman was moving towards her, and she looked right back at him. She was not afraid of him they way she was afraid of the approaching people. 

And in only a few seconds, the wheelbarrow was completely upside down, the fishman crouched under it. The mob rounded the corner, lanterns swinging in their hands. They had no weapons, but they didn't need weapons when their rage felt so alive. They surged towards her - there were no individuals there. Not a single one.

Koala pointed down the street - despite her fear, she felt steady. Her heart beat, and she breathed in and out. "He went that way!" she called out.

The mob didn't even respond to her, they just followed her directives. Koala wasn't even sure if they heard her or not, but regardless, they passed by her without a second glance.

She waited a few moments after she saw the last of the light disappear down the street, then slumped against the wheelbarrow. Her legs felt weak, and she felt cold, but she wasn't done, not yet.

Koala lifted the wheelbarrow up slightly, but made sure it still covered the fishman from sight. They looked at each other, then she swallowed. "Do you...do you have a place to go?" she asked quietly.

The fishman answered her, after hesitating for a moment, speaking slowly, as if deliberating on his words. "I'm awaiting transportation from this island."

"If you don't have a place to stay -" Koala began. "-You can stay with me. At my house."

The fishman was already shaking his head. "I can not do that. You are a child, and you saw those people - I can not put you in danger alongside myself."

Koala pursed her lips. "They won't think to check for you with me. You have no where else to go, and....we're not safe here, out in the open."

The fishman studied her, then sighed. "Alright," he simply said.

Koala nodded, and carefully flipped the wheelbarrow right side up. "Quick," she said. "Get in."

Thankfully, the fishman listened to her. Why? Why was he listening to her? Koala took the boxes that had once held produce and gently placed them on top of the fishman, concealing him from sight.

She took hold of the handles of the wheelbarrow once more, but hesitated. Then, in a whisper, she asked: "What's your name?"

At first she thought the fishman hadn't heard her, but then his low voice answered. "Hack."

Hack. She couldn't help the small smile that flickered across her face. She'd heard, once, that by exchanging names was an exchange of trust as well as a bridge to friendship. "I'm Koala," she said, then began pushing the wheelbarrow.

Luckily, she ran into no trouble as she pushed the wheelbarrow down the street, but the tension still hung in the air like a suffocating blanket. Koala pushed the wheelbarrow as fast as she could, so she was sweating as she pulled up to Jeanne's house. Quickly, she opened the side door entrance into the storage room, she looked both ways, then began removing the boxes from on top of Hack.

As Hack stepped out from the wheelbarrow, she ushered him inside and shut the door. Koala leaned against it for a brief moment, catching her breath. She was used to pushing produce, but Hack was a little heavier than that. 

Hack watched her, and she managed a small smile. "Don't worry," she panted. "You'll be...safe here."

Koala wiped the sweat off her forward, and she trudged to the opposite end of the room and opened the door. Delicious smells floated through and soft light filtered into the room. She turned back towards Hack, whose large figure seemed out of place in the little storage room. "Come on in," Koala offered. "It looks like dinner is ready."

She stepped inside, Hack ducking into the small hallway behind her.

"Oh good, you're home," Jeanne called out from the kitchen. Koala frowned - the old woman sounded....relieved. "I only just finished making dinner, so it's still warm."

Koala motioned to Hack to stay where he was, out of sight, then peeked into the kitchen. "Um, Jeanne?" she asked nervously. She didn't think that Jeanne was like the others - she didn't think Jeanne would fly into a mindless rage. That sort of thing didn't suit a practical and worldly woman.

The woman didn't even look at Koala, she just placed her cooking appliances in the sink. "Yes, child, spit it out."

"I have....a....a friend of mine over," Koala said, stumbling over her words. She'd gotten so good at speaking to people in the past couple years, and she could lie in the face of danger. And yet the fear of the reaction of Jeanne....it made her so, incredibly nervous. "Could you dish up another bowl?"

At that, Jeanne looked up, wrinkled face set in suspicion. "Who is it?" Then: "Who's there?"

Koala opened her mouth to answer, but Hack stepped forward. "I'm sorry to be intruding. My name is Hack, and this child saved my life."

Jeanne stared at Hack, and Hack stared unwaveringly back. Then Jeanne sighed, and with that sigh Koala felt some of the tension leave the room. "Sit down then, if you'll be eating - the both of you."

Koala practically fell into her chair, and Hack sat cautiously on the chair she pulled out for him. Jeanne slid another bowl of soup towards him, and Koala couldn't help but think that it was it; Things were changing for her now, for better or for worse.


End file.
